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Wild
Membership magazine Winter/Spring 2021
Leicestershire
and Rutland
Making
memories
for dementia patients by spending
‘Time in Nature’
BACK FROM THE BRINK?
Discover the story of birds of prey in
Leicestershire and Rutland
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The magical relationship between
language and nature
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
Welcome Contents
4 Catch up on the latest news from
Welcome to 2021. Last year, I opened your LRWT and around the UK
January membership magazine with a “happy
new super year for nature”. No one could
8 Melissa Harrison encourages us to
stay local and stay wild
10 Discover our counties’ majestic birds
have guessed how nature would go on to
feature at unprecedented levels on the world
stage. I hope that lessons are learned. Our of prey with Abi Mustard
actions towards nature can have global implications, with 14 Take a winter wander at Dimminsdale
the pandemic serving as a stark reminder. We have all had Nature Reserve
to adapt and it will be intriguing to see if our new habits,
16 6 places to see hidden forests
18 Uta Hamzaoui explains how small
and particularly our local connections to nature, will be
14 16
sustained throughout 2021 and beyond. If they are, this
could be a game changer in achieving lasting benefits for really is mighty
wildlife by 2030. 20 Be inspired by hedgerows, nature’s
natural highways
10 24
Throughout this magazine there are many reasons to be
positive, not least learning about the benefits of ‘Time in 22 Learn how the smallest gardens can
Nature’ for sufferers of dementia (p30) and how raptors are bustle with wildlife
rewilding our skies (p10). We have seen many things move
online and have developed our digital expertise. We can now
24 Meet John and Jill Harris from
Leicestershire, who created their own
deliver many of our education and engagement sessions woodland
online, Local Groups are holding talks digitally, and we even
had our first online AGM. This was a major undertaking for
26 Writer Horatio Clare introduces the
wonderful world of wild words
30
Trustees and staff, so it was rewarding to see so many new
people register to take part (p9). Libby Smith shows how ‘Time in
Nature’ is helping people living with
As we continue to strive for nature’s recovery and create dementia
more space for wildlife, we are fundraising to secure more
land to extend our nature reserves (p9). Nature needs us
32 Get out and about with our guide to
events and activities
WITCHES’ WHISKERS LICHEN © ADRIAN DAVIES/NATURE PL, MY WILD LIFE © CLARE & ANNIE FRANKHAM
more than ever and your support is warmly received. I’d
like to offer a huge thank you at the end of my first year,
to all our supporters. We will go into 2021 with hope and
optimism.
Tim Graham
CEO
Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust Get in touch 6 ways to get involved with
WILD Leicestershire and Rutland is the Protecting and enhancing the wildlife and wild The Wildlife Trust Magazine Team Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
membership magazine for Leicestershire and places of Leicestershire and Rutland and engaging Editor Lucy McRobert
Rutland Wildlife Trust and is free to members. people with nature. Designers Yarwood Associates Gift membership Give Legacy You can include a gift in your Wildlife Watch Inspire a wild
Email info@lrwt.org.uk UK Editor Tom Hibbert someone the gift of nature and sign them Will for wildlife and the future of our local child by signing them up for our junior
Telephone 0116 262 9968 UK Designer Ben Cook up to become a member. Find out how natural world membership, Wildlife Watch!
PEREGRINE FALCON © JOE PENDER
Address The Old Mill, 9 Soar Lane, Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust lrwt.org.uk/join lrwt.org.uk/legacy lrwt.org.uk/wildlife-watch
Leicester, LE3 5DE Chairman Andrew Cotton Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily
Donate Businesses Local Groups Be inspired by
Website lrwt.org.uk Hon. Secretary Maggie Morland those of the Editor, Director or the Council of the
Registered charity number 210531 Hon. Treasurer Ann Tomlinson Trust. Articles, letters, photographs and artwork are From purchasing land Become a corporate
facebook.com/leicswildlife CEO Tim Graham welcomed on the understanding that no liability for to vaccinating badgers to helping bats supporter of LRWT and make wildlife part walks, talks, events and activities in your
twitter.com/leicswildlife Head of Conservation John Clarkson their safe custody or return is incurred and the right flourish, we rely on your donations of your business local area
instagram.com/leiceswildlife Membership Officer Josephine Taylor to abridge or refuse publication is reserved. lrwt.org.uk/donate lrwt.org.uk/corporate lrwt.org.uk/local-groups
2 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 3
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
LRWT NEWS
Peter Gamble (1927 - 2020)
Local naturalist,
photographer and
conservationist Peter
Gamble sadly passed away
in 2020. He was widely of its special places. Although he had
known and respected as personally witnessed great losses to
being one of the most Charnwood’s wildlife over his lifetime,
outstanding naturalists and committed Peter was always optimistic that much of
conservationists that Leicestershire has this wildlife could return.”
ever produced. A member of LRWT since its early days,
Michael Jeeves, former LRWT Head of Peter was a member of the Council and
Conservation, said “Peter’s knowledge Conservation Committee for many years.
of plants, birds, butterflies, moths and He and his wife, Margaret, were regular
much more was legendary. He was also attendees of Charnwood Group meetings
an accomplished photographer and gave and Peter was actively involved with the
many talks to Local Groups. I first met Charnwood branch of the Campaign for
him in the 1980s and he was enormously the Protection of Rural England, and
helpful to me when I started working Butterfly Conservation. Michael Jeeves
for LRWT. He was my friend to phone if added, “Above all, he was a kind and
I wanted to know about local wildlife, generous man and will be greatly missed.”
particularly in Charnwood, and willingly We hope you will join us in passing our
gave up time to show me around some condolences to Peter’s family and friends.
Devastated but not
defeated
Last year, we were shocked to find
out that Leicestershire could be
one of the areas considered for ten
new proposed badger cull zones. In
August, we campaigned against the
Government proposals and over
1,300 of you signed the petition to
stop the cull. Thank you to everyone
who supported us. Sadly, it was
announced in early September
Bloomin’ meadows in the that parts of Leicestershire would
be included in the cull zones. We
Charnwood Forest
are devastated but not defeated.
We will continue our partnership
with Nottinghamshire Wildlife
SCYTHING © LTWT, DEVIL’S-BIT SCABIOUS © VAUGHN MATTHEWS
Trust to vaccinate badgers on the
As part of the Charnwood Forest
Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire
Landscape Partnership Scheme,
of this rare habitat and the species that LRWT staff updates border, a scheme part funded by
LRWT is working with landowners
rely on it. media pages, newsletters and more. Anna DEFRA until 2022. In addition, we
PETER GAMBLE © LRWT, BADGER © ANDREW MASON
and farmers to restore old species- We are delighted to welcome some new
rich grassland. We will do this LRWT is one of nineteen organisations faces to the LRWT family. Fiona Worton, Leschinski and Emily MacAllister are our will continue to work with other
predominantly by using a cut and comprising the partnership which is Education Officer, joins our Education new Trainee Reserves Officers at Rutland Wildlife Trusts to speak out for
collect machine to cut meadows that supported by the National Lottery Team, and will be running activities and Water Nature Reserve. badgers. We firmly believe that
may be small or hard to reach. In some Heritage Fund. This five-year events to educate and inspire children We are sad to say goodbye to Matt culling is not the answer to control
areas, such as wet areas, scything scheme will promote awareness and to love local wildlife and wild places. Taylor, Assistant Reserve Officer at the spread of bTB in cattle and that
is being used, too. In species-poor understanding of the importance Praveen Nair, Accounts and Reporting Rutland Water Nature Reserve; the role
of Charnwood Forest through the science used to justify the badger
grasslands, or those that have become Officer, joins the Finance Team and has been taken on by Sarah Bedford,
conservation, restoration and cull is flawed. As of 2020, the total
degraded, this can also be assisted by will be looking after our management working with the Rutland Water Reserves
engagement programmes. badgers shot since 2013 will be over
spreading locally-gathered green hay. accounts. He will also play a crucial role Team. We have also said farewell to Ben
Ultimately, we want to discourage the We are training volunteers to survey in developing our financial reporting Devine, Conservation Officer, who has 170,000, approximately 35% of the UK
growth of more vigorous grasses and grasslands and in scything. To volunteer capabilities. Jordan Linthwaite joins joined Leicester City Council as their population.
competitive species (such as nettles), in the Charnwood Forest or work us as our new Communication and Senior Nature Conservation Officer; and Stay up to date
which suppress wildflowers. Correct with us as a landowner, contact Uta Supporter Engagement Assistant; she will Lloyd Park who has moved on to work for lrwt.org.uk/badger-
management is vital for the survival Hamzaoui at uhamzaoui@lrwt.org.uk. be helping to manage our communication the Wild Ken Hill Estate in West Norfolk vaccination
channels, including our website, social as their Conservation Leader & Ecologist.
4 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 5
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
UK NEWS
Water voles are one of many
species in danger. UK UPDATE UK HIGHLIGHTS
New ambassadors for nature Discover how
Award-winning actor Alison Steadman, and encourage more people to take action. The Wildlife Trusts 1
Bradford-based GP and TV presenter Dr Speaking about her new role, Alison brought wildlife 2
Amir Khan, presenter and filmmaker Steadman said, “I’m extremely proud of all
Hannah Stitfall, science communicator to homes
Sophie Pavelle and Iceland managing
the work the Wildlife Trusts do with the
across the UK 3
local communities in which they work, but
director Richard Walker are taking have come to see that collectively, they’re
up the new role of
a force to be reckoned with. Their work 1 Hip hip hoor-hay!
Ambassadors for The Cumbria Wildlife Trust have recently
is important, from big picture landscape
Wildlife Trusts. The taken ownership of Bowberhead Farm,
restoration, to encouraging and supporting
UK UPDATE nature enthusiasts home to internationally important
people like you and I to do our bit for
will use their voices, flower-rich northern hay meadows —
Wildlife Trusts launch biggest
wildlife, whether it’s in our garden, or
influence and a rare habitat with only 900 hectares
audiences to help us campaigning on issues close to our heart.” left in existence. In time these meadows
ever appeal to kickstart raise awareness
of the urgent You can learn more about our new
could help create a joined-up network
of restored, wildflower-rich grasslands
nature’s recovery by 2030 need for ambassadors and hear their views on across Cumbria and northern England.
nature’s The Wildlife Trusts’ website: cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/
recovery, wildlifetrusts.org/ambassadors bowberhead
A
s we struggled through the worst Craig Bennett, chief executive of The
2 Crane comeback
ALISON STEADMAN © CLEARWATER PHOTOGRAPHY, SPINY STARFISH © LINDA PITKIN/2020VISION, CRANES © NIKKI WILLIAMS
pandemic in living memory, the Wildlife Trusts, said: “We’ve set ourselves THE CHANGES WE NEED A pair of common cranes has bred
importance of nature in our lives an ambitious goal — to raise £30 million Some examples of projects gearing up at Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s Willow
became clearer than ever. Science and kickstart the process of securing Tree Fen. This is the first pair to breed in
to help bring back 30%:
shows that humanity’s basic needs — from at least 30% of land and sea in nature’s Lincolnshire in over 400 years. Cranes
food to happiness — can all be met with recovery by 2030. We will buy land to n Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is hoping were driven to extinction in the UK
a healthy natural environment, where expand and join up our nature reserves; to restore natural processes and in the sixteenth century, but a small
wildlife surrounds us. we’ll work with others to show how to healthy ecosystems on a huge scale number returned in 1978 and eventually
But sadly, nature is not all around us, at bring wildlife back to their land, and we’re in their Wild Peak project, bringing started breeding. The population has
least not in the abundance it should be. calling for nature’s recovery through a back more wildlife and wild places. slowly grown and spread, with 56 pairs
Many of our most treasured species like new package of policy measures including n Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife
attempting to nest in the UK in 2019.
hedgehogs, bats and basking sharks are all big new ideas like Wildbelt.” lincstrust.org.uk/willow-tree-fen
Trust is planning a number of
at risk, as well as many of the insects that Wildlife Trusts are fundraising to tackle, reintroduction projects, from
pollinate our food crops. on a scale not seen before in the UK, the beavers to cirl buntings and choughs.
Loss of wild places and the breaking up joint climate and ecological emergency.
of those that remain into small fragments Restored habitats will capture carbon, n Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife
has had a disastrous effect. Only 10% of helping to tackle climate change, and bring Trust will be continuing our
land is protected in the UK and much people the health benefits associated with work rewilding the Soar Valley,
of this is in poor condition. While some contact with the natural world. There are restoring the natural landscape.
areas of the seabed are officially protected, amazing projects right on your doorstep At Narborough Bog Nature Reserve
harmful activities such as bottom trawling that need support to take flight. we have been implementing
are only banned in a handful of locations. Craig added: “The next ten years must be Natural Flood Management
All is not lost, as we know how to turn a time of renewal, of rewilding our lives, processes that help prevent
things round: we need to see nature’s of green recovery. We all need nature flooding and increase space for
recovery happening across at least 30% more than ever and when we succeed wildlife.
Safer areas at sea 3 Duke’s reprieve
of our land and seas by 2030. This would in reaching 30 by 30 we’ll have wilder Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
WATER VOLE © TOM MARSHALL
n Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is In 2019 an independent panel was tasked protections for the marine environment,
enable our wild places to connect and landscapes that store carbon and provide purchased Deacon Hill, Winchester’s only
planning to restore reed beds, fen by the Government to review whether giving nature the best chance of recovery.
allow wildlife to move around and thrive. on-your-doorstep nature for people too. remaining stronghold for the endangered
swamps and meres, increasing water Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) By removing all pressure, from fishing to
The Wildlife Trusts are fighting to make Everyone can support and help us to Duke of Burgundy butterfly. This is a
resilience on Bourne North Fen, could be introduced to English waters. construction, our shallow seas, shores
this a reality through our new 30 by 30 succeed.” crucial piece of land in a network of sites
supporting improved agriculture Over 3,000 Wildlife Trust supporters and diverse seabeds can become
campaign, and we recently called for a around Winchester that are managed by
and water quality — which is good responded to the panel’s consultation, healthier, more productive and full
new landscape designation for England Support our campaign today to the Trust with wildlife in mind.
for wildlife — whilst reducing flood backing our call for HPMA introduction. of life once more.
called “Wildbelt” that would put land in to bring our wildlife back: hiwwt.org.uk/deaconhill
risk. HPMAs would offer the strictest possible wtru.st/help-our-seas
recovery for nature and help us reach 30%. lrwt.org.uk/30-by-30
6 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 7
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
UK NEWS WILD THOUGHTS
LRWT NEWS
Melissa
Harrison
The home patch
When you look back at the spring I’ve written before, in these pages and A LITTLE BIT WILD
and summer of 2020, what will you elsewhere, of the importance of having a
remember? The challenge of home- ‘home patch’ that we care for and connect
It may have seemed as
Please support our Meadows Appeal
though the birds were
schooling? The frustrations of domestic to, physically, mentally and emotionally. We urgently need to raise £150,000 to save two threatened
singing more loudly
confinement? Fear of illness, or perhaps Knowing where the swifts nest on your wildflower meadows that could extend our existing nature
during lockdown,
illness itself? street, which oak in the park is always the reserves, if we can secure them.
but in fact, it’s likely
Our shared period of lockdown was a long, strange last into leaf, why the mason bees nest The first meadow sits within the Charnwood Forest and These meadows could be lost to development or other uses,
they were able to
time, yet for many of us it came with an unexpected on one side of a nearby building and not is a vital habitat to a number of species, including beautiful with your support we can secure them for nature and ensure
lower their volume as
silver lining: the opportunity to rediscover (or the other – these things root us in place wildflowers, insects and birds such as goldfinches and starlings. the land is protected for wildlife for now and for the future.
they had far less The second meadow in the Vale of Belvoir will create an
discover for the first time) the overlooked green and time, in ways that often prove deeply These meadows could be lost to development or other uses,
noise pollution extension to an existing reserve where you can find wildflowers,
spaces around our homes. beneficial both to the world around us, but with your support we can secure them for nature and
to compete with. insects, mammals such as badgers and rabbits, and birds
Especially in the early weeks, when restrictions and to ourselves. ensure the land is protected for wildlife, now and for the future.
This will have saved including green woodpeckers and common buzzards.
were at their strictest, all many of us saw of the If, during lockdown, you found yourself Can you help us buy these special meadows? Together we can
them precious energy, Meadows are an important part of our ecosystem; they
outside world was during a brief walk each day. As seeing your local area with new eyes, make Leicestershire and Rutland a home for nature's recovery.
and may also have support a rich variety of insects, which in turn provides food for
one of the sunniest springs on record unfolded, we don’t turn away from it now. Consider Every donation, whatever the size, will make a difference.
boosted their chances of animals like birds, bats and hedgehogs. Sadly, they are in great Thank you.
sought out parks, nature reserves and urban green becoming a Friend of your nearest park,
reproductive success. decline, we have now lost 97% of our meadows since the 1930s.
spaces, hungry for contact with the natural world. or supporting The Wildlife Trusts; look
We cannot risk losing another meadow. lrwt.org.uk/meadows
For some time now we’ve been reading about the online for Forest Schools who want help
benefits of contact with nature to our mental and connecting kids in your area to nature, or other
physical health, but this year it was really brought charities that have been doing unsung work to Round-up: LRWT Virtual AGM staff, nature reserves and wider countryside on the LRWT
home to us, as our deepest instincts drove us to protect and preserve green spaces where you are. YouTube channel: youtube.com/lrwt56
Thank you to everyone who joined our virtual
listen out for birdsong, plant windowboxes, cherish At the very least, please don’t stop visiting the Annual General Meeting on 18th November 2020. Honorary Treasurer Ann Tomlinson explained how
Melissa
humble pavement weeds and take daily note of places you discovered in lockdown, no matter how A lot of hard work went into making our first online AGM the pandemic had affected LRWT finances and thanked
Harrison is
spring’s progress, drawing deep comfort, amid tempting it is to forget them in favour of a success, so we were delighted to have over 190 members members for their vital role in helping LRWT through
LEA MEADOWS © MICHAEL WEBSTER
ILLUSTRATION © ROBIN MACKENZIE
a nature writer membership, donations and legacies. The online voting
frightening changes, from one of the eternal verities. somewhere further afield. We need them, join the online webinar held using Zoom, 60% of these for
and novelist, system worked well, with results viewed on screen. Seven
So what happens now that many of us are back just as wildlife needs them: not just grand their first AGM. Thank you to everyone who attended and
and editor of completed the feedback survey, which will help improve Trustees were re-elected. You can view profiles of all our
at work each day, and car trips for leisure are once National Parks, but nearby nature, too.
again allowed? Do we consign the local discoveries
the anthologies future AGMs, too. Trustees online: lrwt.org.uk/how-were-run
Spring, Summer, Speaker Jeremy Purseglove then inspired us all to work
we made to the dustbin of memory, filing our Chair of Trustees, Andrew Cotton, introduced LRWT's
Autumn and new CEO, Tim Graham, who outlined many successes of with nature, to counteract flooding and biodiversity loss,
wonder-filled walks under ‘strange things we did in There could still be a new local gem to discover. Find
Winter, produced our work. Due to technical difficulties, we were unable to with examples from his work around the world.
lockdown’? Or can we take something crucial from out if there’s a Wildlife Trust reserve near you:
in support of The watch Head of Conservation John Clarkson's video. Instead, Draft AGM minutes are available in the Members Hub on
the weeks we spent close to home, using what we
wildlifetrusts.org/nature-reserves Wildlife Trusts. you can now view our conservation highlights from our the website: lrwt.org.uk/members
learned to transform the post-Covid world?
8 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 9
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
Rewilding
the Skies?
Osprey Information Officer Abi Mustard
tells the story of birds of prey in
Leicestershire and Rutland
The distinct flight of the kestrel earned it
the nickname of ‘windhover’.
From the graceful marsh harrier gliding above the reedbeds an estimated 300,000 UK individuals and they are common in
to the steady head of a hovering kestrel above a flowering Leicestershire and Rutland.
KESTREL © JOE PENDER, RED KITE © ANDY ROUSE/2020VISION
meadow, birds of prey are some of the most captivating birds. With its unmistakeable ‘v’ shaped tail and reddish-brown
For many bird-lovers, raptors feature in their top birding body, the red kite is the national bird of Wales. Predominantly Ospreys are adapted to
experiences. Our relationship with birds of prey hasn’t always feeding on carrion, they tidy up the remains of carcasses hunt fish, diving feet first
been positive, and sometimes still isn’t. Throughout UK history, helping clear the countryside of potential diseases – just like into the water.
most raptors have faced persecution, habitat loss or changes vultures! There are several feeding stations in Wales and
to resource availability, resulting in population decline or even Scotland, where hundreds of birds tumble and twirl in the air,
Red kites are the national bird
local extinction. Even the buzzard, now the UK’s most common before dropping down to claim their share of the food. Once
of Wales. After near extinction,
bird of prey, suffered from severe persecution and pesticide a regular sight, numbers plummeted to just 10 pairs in Wales within our two counties their population has increased,
reintroductions have helped in 1930. Subsequently, the population has recovered thanks
poisoning. However, thanks to legal protection and pioneering increasing from eleven to nineteen survey plots between 2009
them recover. to reintroductions in England and Scotland, including the and 2019.
conservation efforts, many populations are recovering.
Rockingham Forest in Northamptonshire. They are seen across Ospreys are my favourite bird of prey (although I may be
Back from the brink
OSPREY © JOHN WRIGHT
most of Leicestershire and Rutland, where the numbers have biased!). These striking birds with a brown highwayman’s mask
Known for its broad wings, short tails and mewing ‘piiyay’, nearly doubled in the last decade. are well adapted to a life dependent on fish. I never get bored
buzzards can be seen soaring over grassland, farmland and Our largest harrier, marsh harriers have bounced back from of watching them diving feet first, talons outstretched towards
woodland, preying on small birds, mammals and carrion near extinction and to nearly 400 UK pairs. Their courtship the water’s surface. Rutland Water is the best place to see
across the British countryside. In the spring, you can enjoy displays are one of the most daring, with a pair wheeling and them, with a regular 26 adults returning from their wintering
the awe-inspiring sight of the males rising into the sky before tumbling through the air. They are frequently seen floating grounds in the spring every year. They are expanding across the
swooping down again, as if on a rollercoaster. Today, there are above the reedbeds at Rutland Water. In line with the UK, counties, so check fishing lakes and reservoirs in the summer.
10 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 11
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
birds were once known as Spearhafoc. The UK’s largest bird of prey, the white-
Before the science of migration was tailed eagle, even visited Rutland Water
understood, ornithologists believed that last year! Thanks to satellite tracking, we
cuckoos turned into sparrowhawks in know that this individual, male G393, is
the winter, thus (incorrectly) explaining one of the six juvenile white-tailed Eagles
their absence. Cossington Meadows is a released on the Isle of Wight in 2019.
top spot, although they regularly visit Next time you are exploring in
gardens. Their UK population is broadly Leicestershire and Rutland, keep your
stable; however, the local population has eyes to the skies and look out for some of
declined slightly, with sparrowhawks these beguiling birds!
being recorded in 141 1km2 plots in 2019,
compared to 204 plots in 2012.
Famous for speed, the peregrine can
reach up to 200 miles per hour when
diving (or ‘stooping’). They are our largest
T h a n k y ou
Raptors still need
“Until recently, falcons, and I once observed a pair
repeatedly dive-bombing an unlucky By establishing a
our help.
mosaic of
habitats and wild
peregrines were gull! Until recently, peregrines were
restricted to north and west UK, but we can create mor
life corridors,
e space for
restricted to north their distribution is spreading south wildlife. With yo
ur support,
and they are now found in many cities, we can continue
to protect
and west UK, but including Leicester. Tall structures, like
cathedrals, mimic their natural nesting
these amazing bi
rds.
their distribution sites of cliff edges. This speedy birds’
population has remained steady over the
is spreading south past decade.
Experience them
Rare visitors
and they are now Some rarer species have recently been yourself
found in many spotted in Leicestershire and Rutland.
The merlin, our smallest bird of prey is
cities, including
seeing its population greatly increase
Peregrines are using cityscapes, and has frequently been sighted at
1 3
Leicester.”
Cossington Meadows and Kelham Bridge.
like Leicester, to mimic their natural
Hen harriers, still heavily persecuted, 2 4
tall and rocky habitats.
have also been recorded at both sites.
Kelham Bridge has previously attracted
rare raptors, including Montagu’s harrier
and even a red-footed falcon from Europe
in 1997.
1 Kelham Bridge
2 Leicester City Centre
Kestrels in trouble? Local ups and downs 3 Cossington Meadows
The kestrel is a medium-sized falcon, Hobbies are a migratory bird of prey,
4 Rutland Water Nature Reserve
seen expertly hovering above verges, timing their arrival to coincide with the
meadows and grasslands, hunting small migration of hirundines. Slightly smaller In the summer you can watch local
rodents. This distinctive behaviour has than kestrels, their wings are narrow, osprey and peregrine nests online!
given the kestrel the old country name long, swift-like. They are keen hunters,
PEREGRINE FALCON © JOE PENDER, SPARROWHAWK © JOHN BRIDGES
ospreys.org.uk
‘windhover’. Kestrels have been widely feeding on small birds and dragonflies;
- Rutland Osprey Project
referenced in English literature, including I have often seen them darting across the
‘The Hawk in the Rain’ by Ted Hughes: lagoons at Rutland Water, and Cossington leicesterperegrines.org.uk
Meadows is an excellent summer site, - Leicestershire and Rutland
‘Effortlessly at height hangs his still eye Ornithological Society
too. Their UK population has undergone
His wings hold all creation in a a large expansion, with a 16% increase
weightless quiet between 1995 and 2010. Locally, however,
Steady as a hallucination in the
streaming air.’
the population has declined. Between Donate
2009 and 2014, hobbies were recorded We’re raising funds to improve the
Their population is sadly in steady in an average 87 sites, compared to Rutland Osprey webcam, which
decline. Habitat loss, decreasing prey just 67 sites on average in the last brings nature into the homes of
populations, agricultural chemicals and five years. thousands of families every year.
HOBBY © ANDY MORFFEW
lack of suitable nest sites are all playing Like many raptors, female lrwt.org.uk/webcam-appeal
a part. Regular surveys have shown that sparrowhawks are bigger than
kestrel populations in Leicestershire and males by up to 25%. Males have a
Rutland have seen a slight decline, being bluish-grey back, orange-barred Thanks to Leicestershire and Rutland
recorded in 172 plots in 2019, compared underparts and are frequently Ornithological Society for their support
to 238 plots in 2009. They can be seen at known as muskets. The Latin name, Sparrowhawks can Hobbies are a migratory bird with this article
many of our reserves; one of the best is Accipiter nisus is derived from Greek hunt in small spaces, of prey, like ospreys, returning
lros.org.uk
Kelham Bridge, near Ibstock. mythology, and these formidable including gardens. to the UK in the summer.
12 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 13
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
Harper
Crewe
Pool
Limekilns 1
2
Laundry
ndry
Pool N
6 5 4
3
0 100m
County
Admire
Snowdrops boundary
springtime
snowdrops rs h i p
Pa rt n e
Conservation Officer Nathalie into what was once the gardens of the
age this
special
old cottages; you’re now approaching e m a n f
Cossa takes us on a guided walk the carpet of snowdrops stretching
W
site on
behalf o
t er
a
at Dimminsdale Nature Reserve, Trent W
out in front of you 5 . February is the Severn
best time to enjoy the spectacle; soak
celebrating the first signs of spring. up the peaceful atmosphere and listen
Pack a picnic, wrap up warm and for the first great-spotted woodpeckers Fact file
enjoy the trickling brooks. drumming in the woodland.
The reserve lies at the head of Staunton
Turn right on to the old mineral line 6 , Harold Reservoir near Calke Abbey. It
back towards the entrance. A horse-drawn is best approached via the B587, north
tram used to operate on this path. You’ll from the A42 Ashby junction. Follow
pass Harper Crewe Pool on your left; look the road past Staunton Harold Hall, take
Staunton Harold Hall. The car park has a for ducks and kingfishers on the pools and the first left turn towards Calke and
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER © BOB COYLE, KINGFISHER © JON HAWKINS
picnic area, perfect for enjoying a flask of listen for early chiffchaffs. Head back up park in the Picnic Area car park. Access
coffee; from here, walk over the reservoir the steps and out of the reserve. to the reserve is about 300m beyond
bridge and turn left into the nature
the bridge over the reservoir. Please
reserve 1 .
keep to the paths! It is dangerous to
Follow the path and take the steps stray from them, as there are several
between the old lime kilns, once used to old mine shafts on the reserve. Steps
burn limestone at a high heat to create are present throughout with steep
In a meeting of industry and nature, quicklime. Turn left at the bottom and slopes, boardwalks and bridges. There
two centuries of limestone and lead over the bridge 2 ; pause for a moment is no access to the meadow. Dogs are
SNOWDROPS © MARK HAMBLIN/2020VISION
mining have shaped this now peaceful to admire Laundry Pool on your right. welcome on leads.
landscape. Dimminsdale is renowned for Sheets from Staunton Hall were washed
the spectacular display of snowdrops that Nearest postcode: LE65 1RT
in this pool and dried on lines in what
appear in late winter. Enjoy the carpet was the former deer park. On your left Size: 23.5ha
of white blossoming under the trees, you can see a small cave – this is the back For further information, please see our
giving hope that warmer times are on of the old cottage latrine! Nature Reserves Guide or lrwt.org.uk
the way and spring is around the corner.
Walk along the clifftop to the highest
Depending on the weather, February and
point of Dimminsdale 3 ; you can see the
March is the best time to experience this.
roofs of the old, collapsed mine shafts. Please respect Government social
For a bonus in March, you might be lucky
The path continues past the excavation distancing guidelines when visiting our
enough to see a kingfisher flash past.
where it is thought the engine house for nature reserves and check our website
Dimminsdale lies on the border between the quarry was situated 4 . Turn left for updates on closures.
Derbyshire and Leicestershire, near
14 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 15
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
UK NEWS
6 places to see 1
Hidden forests 2
3
4 5
See the spectacle
for yourself 6
A
cross the UK, hidden forests of lichen are
waiting to be discovered. They thrive in
1 Ballachuan Hazelwood, Scottish Wildlife Trust
almost any environment with enough light,
One of Scotland’s most ancient woodlands, where the
from the rocky mosaics of dry stone walls
hazels and rocks are dripping with lichens and mosses. It’s
to the gnarled bark of ancient woodlands. Lichens are
home to over 372 different lichens, including Norwegian
fascinating things — not one organism, but a symbiotic specklebelly, octopus suckers and elf-ears lichens.
coupling of one or more fungus species and an alga Where: Near Oban, PA34 4RJ
or cyanobacterium (or occasionally both). They live in
harmony, the fungus providing structure and the other 2 Glenarm Nature Reserve, Ulster Wildlife Trust
organism making food through photosynthesis. They’re This beautiful river valley is home to lichens found
often overlooked, but closer inspection reveals a world in nowhere else in Ireland. Look for them decorating the
miniature, with lichens growing in sprawling shapes like branches of ancient oaks or coating rocks along the
the trunks, branches and leaves of the forests in which Glenarm River, where the rare river jelly lichen is found.
many of them grow. It seems as if no two lichens are Where: Glenarm, BT44 0BD
alike, each patch a work of chaotic art, from moss-green
cups to rust-coloured mats. With a searching eye and an 3 Eycott Hill, Cumbria Wildlife Trust
open mind, lichens can brighten any walk in the wild. Admire the collage of lichens along the dry stone walls, or scour
the rocky outcrops to find those orange, leafy lichens that grow
best on a bird’s favourite perch as they thrive on the extra
nitrates from droppings of meadow pipits and wheaters.
Where: Penrith, CA11 0XD
4 Roundton Hill, Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust
Once the site of an Iron Age hillfort, this impressive
landscape supports almost 200 species of lichen. Look for
them on the shady underhangs of volcanic rock outcrops.
Where: Church Stoke, SY15 6EL
5 Charnwood Lodge,
Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
Many regionally rare heathland lichens have been recorded
WITCHES’ WHISKERS LICHEN © ADRIAN DAVIES/NATURE PL
here, which are not found elsewhere in the county. This is
a star location in the area for bryophytes of all shapes and
sizes. Find out more on p.18.
Where: Copt Oak, LE67 4UX
6 Isles of Scilly, Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust
Usnea florida, a beard-lichen also known as witches’ One of the best places for lichens in the UK. The granite cairns
whiskers, is a declining species found mainly on trees of Peninnis Head offer a good selection, with a backdrop
in Wales and south-west England of spectacular sea views. The islands are also home to rare
species like gilt-edged lichen.
Did you discover any lichen?
We’d love to know how your search went.
Please tweet us your best photos of the lichens that take
your liking! @wildlifetrusts
16 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 17
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
M
osses and liverworts belong to a group of
Hidden
organisms that are usually overlooked.
They are small and often inconspicuous.
Together, they are called bryophytes. Get to know
them and they open a world of amazing diversity,
treasures
colour and shapes. Unlike flowering plants, they
do not have flowers or fruits; instead they produce
spores. They have colonised all habitats (apart
from the sea) and often play an important part
in an ecosystem, producing thick layers on the
woodland floor or storing enormous amounts of Here are a few of the other bryophytes that
water in peat bogs. Whether they produce small
cushions or large carpets, they create homes for make our reserves special…
small animals. On many of our nature reserves,
bryophytes add to their conservation importance. Cryphaea heteromalla
Charnwood Lodge: a gold standard reserve Lateral cryphaea
Charnwood Lodge is a top local spot to look out A moss that grows on trees.
for bryophytes. Around 160 different species have Like many other epiphytic
been recorded here, largely due to bryophytes, it suffered from
the huge size of the nature air pollution and was almost
reserve and variety absent from Leicestershire
of habitats. and Rutland. It has spread
Some areas, rapidly in the last 20 years
such as the and is now present in all our
wet heath
woodland reserves, such as
or rocky
Dimminsdale and
outcrops,
are also very Great Merrible Wood.
old and unaffected
by modern land use.
Seligeria calcarea Encalypta streptocarpa
Chalk rock bristle Spiral extinguisher-moss
Schistostega pennata Barely visible with the naked eye. A rather large moss, easily recognized
It grows on bare calcareous rock and by the large calyptra (cap) that covers the
– Goblin gold has declined as many quarries have capsules. It grows on the limestone rocks
Probably the most mysterious moss. It grows been abandoned or used as landfill sites. faces of Tilton Cuttings.
PHOTOS © UTA HAMZAOUI/LRWT
deep under boulders hidden in overgrown rocky It grows on oolitic limestone rock in
outcrops. The earliest stage of its life cycle reflects Stonesby Quarry.
light, like cat’s eyes.
Barbilophozia atlantica Anthoceros agrestis
Racomitrium lanuginosum Atlantic pawwort Field hornwort
A variety of sphagnum mosses create a diverse habitat. - Woolly fringe-moss A tiny liverwort found on rocks in the A rare species of a small group of
It grows on the large boulders of uplands of North Wales, the Pennines bryophytes, the hornworts. It grows in
a hidden outcrop. This large and and Scotland. Charnwood Forest is its old-fashioned winter stubble fields at
conspicuous moss is characteristic most south-easterly occurrence. It grows Warren Hills. It completes its life cycle
It’s a
of open, stony, windswept ridges and on the shaded and humid north faces before the fields are ploughed in spring.
plateau of the British uplands. This moss of rock outcrops in Altar Stones and
forms thick layers on Icelandic lava fields. Charnwood Lodge.
Sphagnum - Bog-moss
Bog-mosses are the main constituent
of peat bog. The living and dead plants of
bog-mosses can take up large amounts of
small
water. They grow in boggy areas or ponds.
world
Ptilidium ciliare
SCHISTOSTEGA PENNATA © STEVE WOODWARD
- Ciliated fringewort
ANTHOCEROS AGRESTIS © DES CALLAGHAN
A small liverwort with fuzzy leaves
that look like teddy bear ears! It grows
on exposed rocks where it braves the hot
sunshine.
Conservation Officer Uta Hamzaoui shares Tread lightly
Please stick to the paths
her love for the little treasures that make and explore all our reserves
some our nature reserves so special: safely. Many bryophytes are in
inaccessible areas, can be difficult
bryophytes. to find or in areas of unstable and
steep rock faces.
18 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 19Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
UK NEWS LIVING ON THE HEDGE
Living on the hedge
BY ANDREW JAMIESON,
Fieldfare
Winter visitors from the semi-
arctic regions where they breed,
these grey-blue thrushes will often
arrive in mixed flocks along with
SURREY WILDLIFE TRUST redwings to feed on berries.
F
irst light and an early
winter mist lies softly
on the fields. Along
the track the low
sun is backlighting frosted cobwebs
and the frozen stalks of last summer’s hogweed.
Redwings and fieldfares, as well as our resident
thrushes, take flight from the hedges as I approach.
I have interrupted their gorging on a bounty of
berries. Sloe, haw, hip and holly are all on the menu,
these thorny thickets providing a rich larder for
birds that have flocked from harsher climes to spend Brimstone
their winter with us. One of a handful of UK butterflies
Other birds take advantage of these hedges at this that overwinter as adults, tucked
time of year, too. At sunset, hundreds of chattering away in ivy. They can even be
starlings will take up their roosting stations deep seen flying on sunny days in
within the intricate tangle of shrubs and climbers. winter. The caterpillars feed on House sparrow
Here they are protected from whatever the elements alder buckthorn. Both house sparrows and tree
have in store over the long winter nights. Insects in sparrows use dense hedges for
various life stages are also holed-up. Some careful roosting spots, protection from
exploration and you may find dormant ladybirds predators and even as nest sites
tucked deep into bark crevices or the tiny eggs of when favoured holes and crevices
Hedgehog aren’t available.
the brown hairstreak butterfly lodged in the fork
of a blackthorn branch. Meanwhile hidden away
Hedgehogs will often choose Ivy
the base of a thick hedgerow to This late-flowering evergreen has
at ground level hedgehogs, toads, and newts are
site their hibernaculum to sleep much to offer wildlife in autumn
using the security of the dense vegetation for their
away the colder months. In milder and winter. Autumn nectar sustains
seasonal slumber.
winters they may be seen out and bees, juicy berries feed birds
Later in the year our hedgse will become a riot of about as late as December.
colour, movement and aromatic scents with bees
long after other fruits have been
snapped up, and dense foliage
and butterflies visiting the flowers of campion,
provides a home for hibernating
bramble and honeysuckle. Long-tailed tits, wrens
bats and insects.
and yellowhammers will be busily raising their
broods; shrews and voles will be feeding, sheltering
and defending their territories. But all that has yet to
unfold, and for now much of life lies waiting.
Thousands of miles of hedgerows such as this Dormouse
criss-cross our country in a familiar and historical Well-managed hedgerows are vital
patchwork landscape. Rich in wildlife, this network of corridors for many species and none
green highways links the habitats and populations of more so than the dormouse. As well
so many species, all living ‘on the hedge’.
Orange ladybird
as a secure hibernation site, the hedge
This distinctive ladybird is among
Stoat will provide them with many of the
the many insects that hibernate
fruits, nuts and insects in their diet.
Farming on the hedge These fierce predators are active all in leaf litter at the base of hedges.
Hedgerows are a vital part of the year round. They use hedge lines Other species of ladybird will be
farming landscape, providing to hunt small rodents and rabbits, under bark or nestled within thick
food and shelter to countless although when food is scarce may beds of lichen.
birds, mammals and insects. Bird resort to foraging for earthworms.
food supplier and Wildlife Trust
ILLUSTRATION BY BETH KNIGHT
partner, Vine House Farm, provide
a haven for tree sparrows and
other wildlife in their hedges. Plus,
with every purchase made supporting The Wildlife
Trusts, the farm is helping wildlife beyond the farm
gate. Find out more here:
wildlifetrusts.org/vine-house-farm
20 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 21Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
UK NEWS GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE
Wildlife gardening needn’t just be for those with corridors are important because they enable wildlife
Big gains in
large gardens. Any space, no matter how small, can to increase their populations and adapt more easily
be used to create habitats for wildlife. Put together, to climate change. Some species are already shifting
small spaces
our gardens take up more land than all of our nature in a northerly direction — if there are no corridors
reserves combined. So you might not think your or stepping stones to help them on their way, they’ll
ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH BAILEY, PHOTO © SARAH CUTTLE
garden has much potential as a wildlife habitat, but have less chance of surviving. Kate Bradbury
taken as part of a much wider network of linked You can tailor your garden to meet your needs as is passionate about
spaces, yours could be one small but vital piece in a much as those of wildlife. No room for a pond? Try wildlife-friendly
vast jigsaw of connected habitats. a little container pond, instead. Worried trees will gardening and
A garden that might seem small to us can be a huge space Home sweet home
Small spaces add up for wildlife because they grow too big for your space? Consider shrubs such the author of
contribute to ‘wildlife corridors’, which enable as hazel, guelder rose and spindle. You can grow Wildlife Gardening
for wildlife. Kate Bradbury reveals how you can optimise You don’t need a large garden wildlife to travel, often between other habitats. plants that flower over a long period to provide for Everyone and
your space for wildlife. to hang a bee hotel, only a You might have a small garden close to a park. By as much nectar and pollen as possible, such as Everything in
wall or fence. Erect bird boxes digging holes beneath your fences on either side perennial wallflower, catmint and salvias. Even association with
in the eaves for sparrows or you will be creating a corridor for hedgehogs to just letting the grass grow in one patch. Anything The Wildlife Trusts.
swifts, or place a tit box 1-2m reach the park, potentially opening up huge new you do will make a difference.
from the ground. spaces for them (especially if your neighbours do
the same). You might grow a few flowering plants
on a balcony. These could provide a stepping stone Gardens of all sizes can help save our struggling
of nectar, enabling butterflies and other insects to insects. Get a free guide to helping insects at home:
travel greater distances in search of a mate. These lrwt.org.uk/action-insects
Layer bulbs in pot
Layer alliums and crocus in Add water
the same pot. Crocuses flower Container ponds and birdbaths
in March, then the alliums are great for bringing wildlife
will grow and the crocuses die into small spaces.
down, creating food for bees
for longer in the same pot. Let long grass grow
Even the smallest patch of long grass
will provide shelter and food for a range
of species. You should get wildflowers
Grow climbing plants popping up, too.
Clothe every inch of your space with
plants to provide shelter for insects. Wild highways
You might find night-flying moths Hedges shelter wildlife and
resting here during the day! offer access to your garden, but
if you have fences, a hole in, or
beneath, them on either side
provides a lifeline to mammals
and amphibians.
Feed the birds Grow caterpillar
Hanging feeders of sunflower food plants
hearts, mixed seed and fat Even small gardens have room for a
balls can save the lives of birds few caterpillar foodplants. Try foxglove,
in winter and also help in the primrose, hops, honeysuckle and red
breeding season. campion, or nettles in larger spaces.
22 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 23Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
MY WILD LIFE
by how quickly the trees grew; they were
over twenty feet high after about seven
years. For a long time, we had dreamed of
planting our own woodland, but there were
so many hurdles: land availability, time, lack Leicestershire hedge; quinoa and kale for
of experience, finance. But when Pete offered natural bird seed; a 100-metre wildflower strip;
us the land this was the moment we’d been bird boxes and feeders; and finally, a pond!
waiting for. There were several more phases This wasn’t just a woodland; it was a nature
we had to go through, but our friendship with reserve. We have woodpigeons, tits, finches,
Pete and other local farmers was invaluable. tree sparrows, and warblers, like chiffchaffs
They were intrigued by our project and and willow warblers. We’ve had kingfishers on
they helped us: with ploughing, harrowing, the pond. The wildflowers attract butterflies;
fertilising, digging and generally advising us. they’re common ones, like meadow browns,
but there’s so many of them.
What does the area mean to you?
We take a walk here most days and do the
odd jobs. I’m in my eighties now, but luckily
have help with maintenance. We’ve lived
here for fifty years, and our community have
embraced John’s Wood. We never imagined
that would happen. In 2013, we were
approached by the National Gardens Scheme
to consider opening under their name – even
though we weren’t a garden! There are over
200 entries in our visitor book. We’ve even
hosted yoga groups and Forest Schools here!
“We planted over 1,000 native trees
across one acre; they included oak,
ash, maple, crab-apple, hazel, guelder
What wildlife have you seen? rose, and others”
We planted over 1,000 native trees across one How do you imagine this woodland in the to buy a nice new car; instead, we spent it on
acre; they included oak, ash, maple, crab-apple, future? land. That land is still worth what it always was,
“I can say ‘I’m glad I did’,
hazel, guelder rose, and others. It took just I look at this as an investment. The reason probably more. If we’d bought a car, it would
one morning with a tree contractor. Over the that people don’t take on projects like these is now be worthless. It’s more than just financial
next few months, we added a typical South often money. We could have used the money though; it’s a legacy. Our daughter, Clare, and
our family will carry on with our woodland. It’s
rather than ‘I wish I had’.”
our legacy to them and future generations.
What advice would you give to someone
looking to help wildlife?
There’s so much help available if you just
Jill and John, Willoughby Waterleys, Lutterworth ask – try The Wildlife Trusts or The Woodland
W
Trust if you don’t know how to get started. We
couldn’t have done this without support and
e’re meeting people it all on, but I said that
knowledge. And just do it! I always come back
in Leicestershire I would be interested
to Tim Smit, the creator of the Eden Project in
in a corner to create a
and Rutland who woodland. I didn’t think it
Cornwall; he once wrote ‘We may all have feet
of clay, but that shouldn't stop us trying to
are making a difference for would really happen; but make a difference. Wouldn't we all rather look
wildlife. Lucy McRobert chats a couple of months later, he arranged back and say, “I’m glad I did rather than I wish I
PHOTOS © CLARE & ANNIE FRANKHAM
to John and Jill Harris, who for a small corner – just 1.4 acres – to sell to us. had”’. I can say “I’m glad I did!”
It was just a ten minute walk from our house, a
have transformed a pocket of
triangular field bordered by high hedges with
farmland into a thriving wood a brook. When we went to look at it, in 2005, it
for wildlife. was a wheat field; now, there’s a woodland, a
Can you tell me about how you came to create pond and a wildflower meadow, and wildlife!
Contact us if you or someone
your own woodland then – John’s Wood? Was there something that inspired you?
you know could feature in a
Of course, it started in a pub! I was chatting In 1999, we were part of tree planting future issue of Wild! We’re looking for
to a local farmer and he mentioned he was scheme at Blaby with The Woodland Trust. inspiring stories from people like you!
selling 40 acres in the village. I couldn’t take Over the next few years, I was encouraged
24 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 25Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
R
ecently a family passed my house, which to Emma Corfield-Walters who runs Bookish in
overlooks a meadow near Hebden Bridge, Crickhowell. Emma has been running a mail-order
Yorkshire. ‘Look!’ said the mother, ‘A service throughout the pandemic: ‘I’m selling a lot
peacock!’. ‘It’s a pheasant mum,’ her of foraging and identification books, so people are
teenaged daughter replied. ‘It’s a peacock,’ repeated taking this time to learn,’ she says.
the mother, looking hard at the cock pheasant. The depth and richness of all there is to learn will
It was a joyful exchange to witness. Is this not strike the readers of these books the way those of
how we all begin with nature, with anything — us who love fauna and flora were struck when our
naming and misnaming, feeling our way passions began. The multitudes of dialects and the
towards understanding? varieties of ancient languages of which modern English
There must have been a great deal of new is comprised speak of an extraordinary cultural and
naming of nature, recently. On a visit to Scotland, historical relationship between the inhabitants of our
our seven-year-old named what might well have isles and the glittering diversity of species they have
been a buzzard a golden eagle. He still confuses been home to — and will, with luck, support again.
carrion crows and jackdaws, but like many of The precise nature of that relationship is found in
us this year, he is making a start, delighted with our vernacular and demotic terms for animals and
collective nouns for the unkindness of ravens we see birds: humour, close observation, accuracy and a
occasionally, the exaltations of larks on our moors poetic sense of the country characterise these terms,
and the murder of crows that patrol the valley. a cornucopia of words for everything from moles to
For months now, teenagers, students and family herons. It makes sense that the creatures we see most
groups have been appearing in the local woods and often have the most names. The humble woodlouse
fields, absorbing their calm, is a peabug or a nutbug in Liverpool, a ticktock in
beauty and perspective. Bedfordshire, a flump in Southampton, a parson
Nature has been vital to pig on the Isle of Man, a sow-pig in Norfolk and a
us, this hard and awful billybutton in Yorkshire.
year; there seems real Shakespearean England is alive in our local
hope that the change names for species, with the great dukedoms and
we have been praying earldoms of Cornwall, Norfolk, and Yorkshire reliably
for is afoot: with providing their own takes on the world. When Hamlet
any luck, renewed announces he knows a hawk from a handsaw he is
relationships with using East Anglian dialect: a handsaw or hanser is a
What’s in
nature and language grey heron on the Broads. If the traditional English
are being born. Sales summer involves standing heron-still at a window
of field guides are watching water falling from the sky, the national
up, according thesaurus has every kind covered, from mizzle in
a name?
GREY HERON © BEN HALL/2020VISION
Words have the power to change the way we view
the world. Author Horatio Clare explores the
connection between language and nature.
26 Wild Winter/Spring 2021 Winter/Spring 2021 Wild 27You can also read
